Sances's first break into the CD catalogue was last year's recording of his Missa Solecita by Musica Fabula (ASV, A/98). This included a number of solo songs and vocal duos, the same repertoire as is offered here. Le Nuove Musiche's choice of programme is a varied one, with instrumental pieces thrown in for contrast. As to the music, it has an instant appeal (as I wrote in connection with the previous Sances disc) that reaches beyond the specialist.
The performers are all well known from other ensembles (such as Weser-Renaissance Bremen), and give a good enough account of themselves; yet all these positive points fail to add up to more than the sum of the parts. That is due in part to the sound recording, which is a little lacking in resonance and character: its dryness is very unforgiving of singers and continuo players alike. This last point exacerbates a certain stiffness in the musicians' approach to rhythm. In the faster, dance-like pieces this is perhaps not so noticeable (even though the result is, alas, that the music doesn't always dance: Chi sa amare is an exception) ; but where musical figures cry out for more fluid treatment (as in ground-bass or heavily chromatic pieces, such as Misera, hor si and Frescobaldi's Cento Partite, sopra passacagli), this un-elastic quality saps the music's vitality, and may actually hinder the singers' ability to keep things moving. For all that, the music is worth hearing; whether to splurge now or to wait for the forthcoming second instalment from Musica Fabula is up to you.'